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overdog

American  
[oh-ver-dawg, -dog] / ˈoʊ vərˌdɔg, -ˌdɒg /

noun

Informal.
  1. a person who is dominant, in command, or has a significant advantage.


Etymology

Origin of overdog

First recorded in 1905–10; over- + dog, modeled on underdog

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

In six episodes, “Cheer” documents the lead-up to Daytona, and the series is a quick, compulsive watch, combining the savage thrill of watching an overdog dominate and the emotional pull of witnessing an underdog’s rise.

From The New Yorker • Jan. 16, 2020

Stony Brook faces Kentucky in its first-round game, so that’s your ultimate underdog vs. overdog matchup.

From Slate • Mar. 14, 2016

So Horace Broadnax, a reserve on that Georgetown team which featured Patrick Ewing, the top pick in the '85 NBA Draft, knows how it feels to be the hated overdog.

From Time • Apr. 4, 2011

Unannounced but widely anticipated, Jay-Z arrived, a cheerful overdog who boasts without Mr. West’s guilt-tinged psychodrama.

From New York Times • Mar. 21, 2011

He had just been told that his opponent, New Orleans, is a 10 ½-point favorite — the biggest road overdog in NFL playoff history — to win Saturday's game.

From Seattle Times • Jan. 6, 2011

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